10th Alabama Infantry Regiment

The 10th Alabama Infantry Regiment mustered 1,429 men during the Civil War, losing around 300 in action and 180 to disease.

1861

June 4

Organized at Montgomery under Colonel John Horace Forney, Lt. Colonel James Benson Martin and Major John J. Woodward

July

Moved to Winchester, Virginia, and attached to brigade of General Kirby Smith

December 20

Battle of Dranesville

Lt. Colonel James Martin and 21 other men were killed and Captain William Forney and 64 other men were wounded

December 21

Major Woodward promoted to lieutenant colonel and Captain William Forney promoted to major

1862

January

Attached to Wilcox’s Brigade of Smith’s Division, Potomac District

March

Marched to the Penninsula

March 17

Colonel John Forney was promoted to brigadier general, Lt. Colonel John J. Woodward to colonel, Major William H. Forney (John’s brother) to lieutenant colonel and Captain John H. Caldwell of Company A to major.

April 5 – May 4

Shelled in the Yorktown positions

May 5 – 6

Battle of Williamsburg

Lost 85 casualties, including Lt. Colonel William Henry Forney, wounded, and then captured when the hospital at William and Mary College was captured.

June 27

Battle of Gaines’ Mill

The regiment lost 38 men killed and 97 wounded. Colonel Woodward, Captains Francis Pickens Black, Robert W. Cowan and William M. Lee were killed. Captain James B. Farmer was wounded.

June 27

Lt. Colonel William Forney, still in Northern captivity, was promoted to colonel, and Major Caldwell was promoted to lieutenant colonel.

Major Arthur S. Cunningham was assigned to temporary command of the 10th Alabama with the rank of lieutenant colonel due to the high casualties among its officers. He was wounded during the Seven Days and did not return to the regiment.

Battle of Fredericksburg

Major Jeremiah Henry Johnston Williams commanded the regiment. Captain Walter Cook and 23 other men were killed and 89 wounded out of 400 engaged. The regiment captured 13 officers and 236 men. Private J. W. Brundridge was particularly noted for his conduct in Gen. Wilcox’s report.

June 1

Wilcox’s Brigade of Anderson’s Division transferred to the new Third Army Corps under Lieutenant General A.P. Hill.

The regiment 15 killed and 89 wounded out of 450 men engaged, including Colonel William Henry Forney, twice wounded and captured, and Captains Wiliam McMillion and Simson G. Yeargain, wounded. Lt. Colonel James Shelley took command when Forney was wounded.

From the brigade monument at Gettysburg:

July 2. Formed line here in forenoon. The 10th and 11th Regiments taking position on the right after a severe skirmish with the Union outpost. Advanced at 6 P. M. and broke the Union line on Emmitsburg Road capturing two guns and pursuing rapidly took many prisoners and six more guns. At Plum Run was met by a heavy fire of artillery and fresh infantry and being unsupported after severe losses fell back without being able to bring off the captured guns.

July 3. Took position west of Emmitsburg Road in support of artillery. Soon after Longstreet’s column started an order was received to advance and support it but smoke hiding the oblique course of Pickett’s Division the Brigade moving straight forward found itself engaged in a separate and useless conflict and was promptly withdrawn.

July 4. In line here all day and at dark began the march to Hagerstown.

September 11

Major Williams resigns.

1864

February

The regiment was honored by the thanks of a joint resolution of the Confederate Congress as they reenlisted:

“Resolved by the Congress of the Confederate States of America, That Congress hails with delight the manifestations evinced by the brave and gallant officers and privates of the Ninth regiment, Alabama volunteers, who have stood under the fire of the enemy for nearly 3 years, never to yield to Northern oppression, and for this act of partiotism and exalted self-sacrifice, in re-enlisting for the war, the thanks of Congress and the country are eminently due them. That the example of those brave men who have endured the dangers and perils of the war since its commencement is a happy omen for the future, and should encourage Congress and the country to rest with an abiding hope and confidence in the success of our arms and the final triumph of liberty, under the lead of those brave and unconquerable spirits. Approved February 16, 1864.”